Princess Lance

Prologue

Sara command her regiment to stop when she saw the smoke rising from the east.

"Queen."

Oliver turned his horse around then galloped to her.

"Take Tommy with you and see if you two can find anything in the chard remains of that village uphead." Sara ordered.

"And if its in pain?" Oliver asked.

"Put it out of its misery." Kendra looked back after she heard the command given to Oliver. Sara gave her a glare that made turn back around.

Oliver rode over to Tommy and then they took off after Tommy did a quickly check of his equipment.

Several hours pasted before they returned with a brunette woman riding on the back of Tommy's horse. When they got back to the regiment, Tommy rode over to Sara while Oliver got back to where he belong in the patrol line.

"Who is this?" Sara asked.

"The lone survive of the burn down village." Tommy replied.

"Does she have a name?"

"She won't speak to me."

The woman then says something that Tommy doesn't understand, but Sara does. She says something back to her before the brunette says more.

"She says her people were slaughtered by a witch after they tired to burn her at the stake. She was the only that survive the attack." Sara translate.

"Aren't you going to ask her name?" Tommy suggest. But the burnette didn't trust Sara and her barnd of warriors so she still spoke in her native tongue.

"She said her name is Nyssa." Sara stated and without another word she command the regiment to move again.

Later that night, The regiment stopped to make camp for the night. After everyone unpack and set up their tents Sara told Kendra and Thea to bring Nyssa to her. They did and then were told to leave.

"Why do you fear me?" Sara asked. Nyssa respond, but Sara cut her off, "in English."

"You have many warriors who could hurt me if they choose to do so." Nyssa said.

"Then they will answer to me." Sara said. She offered for Nyssa to sit down.  When she did, Sara noticed the ash and black soot that was covered all over Nyssa's body as well as her red and white dress.

"Strip." Sara command. Nyssa's jaw dropped and Sara could have swore Nyssa's mouth was locked by the shock of what she just hread.

"I sense you're mocking me." Nyssa respond.

"Then you can stay covered in soot and ash if you feel that way."

This time Nyssa said nothing as she remove her dress and held it at her side. Sara gave Nyssa the once over deciding she liked what she saw.

"Lay your dress on the table." Nyssa did as she was told before she was stopped by Sara. She notice the Roman bands around her neck and wrists. She also had some around her anckles. This meant that  Nyssa wasn't from around here. But how did she get here?

"Halt!" Sara said. Nyssa stayed still in the spot she was in frozen with fear. Realizing that Sara found out the truth about her.

"You're Roman property." Sara stated.

"Yes." Nyssa replied.

"How did you get all the way here?"

"The village that was on fire."

"What about it?"

"I was brought there to be sold to the highest bidder. If it hadn't been for the witch who knows who would own me right now."

"Did you get a good look at the witch?" Sara asked. She thought that a change of subject would be a good idea.

"She broke me from my shackles. She had dark red hair, brown eyes and was very skillful with a sword."

Nyssa description of witch told Sara everything she needed to know. So now she would give Nyssa a bath and then let her get some sleep.

Nyssa stayed silent as Sara bathed her. She only spoke once and that was when Sara asked her a question.

"Do you shave?"

Nyssa didn't have to ask where Sara was talking about since there was only one place with hair on it where some women shave.

"Just my legs." Nyssa replied. Sara just nods and goes back to bathing Nyssa. When she finished, Nyssa stands up and Sara wraps a towel around her nude body and tells her sit. She does as she's told and then Sara combs her hair. Again Nyssa is silent. But this time Sara tries to get her to talk.

"Whoever groomed you did a good job before they brought you to market." Sara said. She had been to an auction for slaves before during her days as an assassin. She had seen many come and go, she even purchase one, but that is a story for another time.

"My master said that I would bring in more coin if I shined like one." Nyssa says.

"He wasn't wrong. You remind me..." Sara stopped herself,  not knowing how Nyssa would react to the news of her once owning a slave. But she might've said too much because Nyssa knew what she was about to say.

"You used to own a slave?"

"Yes," Sara admitted, "but I didn't treat her like a slave. I even ended up falling in love with her." And again that was a story for another time.

"I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't offend me. Besides it's none of my business what you did in your past."

"I know, but why I am sharing it with you."

"Perhaps it's because you trust me. You feel more freely to share it with me than you do your soldiers."

"Maybe."

To be honest Sara didn't know why she was freely sharing her life's story with a woman she didn't even know. But whatever the reason was, she didn't really care. After finishing with Nyssa's hair, Sara gave Nyssa a clean dress. She put it on and was surprised when it fit. But Sara wasn't surprised. Seeing Nyssa in the dress brought back some memories. Memories that Sara didn't want to deal with right now.

"Its gorgeous, Sara." Sara bit her lip and gave Nyssa a quick nod before saying it was time for bed. Sara let Nyssa have the bed and she slept on the floor. Nyssa didn't mind sharing the bed with Sara but she refused to hear it knowing she was going to be up most of the night and knowing that if she was in the bed, she would keep Nyssa up. And she didn't want that. So she would stay where she originally planned to be.